Taking Chances
by Cinnamon Silver Tiger
Summary: It had been six years since he had last seen her. Six years since she had disappeared with Blaise in the middle of the night. A year and a half since they had been spotted in Italy...with a child. Sequel to Moon Shines Red. Draco/Hermione
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note** : WOW! Thank you all so much for your amazing support for Moon Shines Red. I am truly sorry it's taken so long to get this next story up and running. To everyone who favorited the story, me as an author, and followed to be notified when this story came out, it really means the world to me. If there is anything I learned from MSR though it's to not rush things and let them come naturally. So without further ado…here is Taking Chances.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own anything

* * *

Feeling the breeze caress his face while he relaxed on the deck of his boat felt incredible. It was the same feeling he got while flying, the carefree way he flew in and out of the clouds, sailing was a lot like that. He had been on the coast for a few weeks now searching for Hermione, Blaise and the child. He had been traveling all over Italy for a little over a year since he had received the picture of Blaise and the news that the investigator had found them. He and Harry had been in agreement that they were probably on the move again so he hadn't gone straight to the place where they had been found. After a while that proved to not be working so finally he had decided to go to the very place they had been spotted.

Ravello was a small city on the Amalfi Coast and the more time Draco spent there the more he understood what would draw Hermione to the beautiful place. It seemed perfect for her. He made his way back to the dock and grabbed lunch from a little café. This had been his routine for the past few days, spend the mornings on his boat then head into the town for lunch and to resume his search. He had used glamour to disguise his appearance knowing that if Hermione caught wind that a man with pale blonde hair was looking for her, a shade of hair not common to Italy, she would run. That is if they were even still here.

He sat down on a bench in a park and began eating his lunch. He watched as the kids played in the little playground and he found himself searching for a child that looked anything like Blaise or Hermione. It had been almost six years since they had left. He couldn't even believe it had been that long since he last saw her face. When he had first set out on this search after receiving the news he had been so angry, so upset with her, and even more so with Blaise. He had had more than enough time to cool off since then, but there was still the sting of the very painful betrayal there every time he thought of them running off together.

He thought about how much pain he had put Hermione through all those years ago, how betrayed she must have felt. Sometimes he felt like he didn't really have a right to be hunting them down. But then his spoiled pureblood side would take over and whisper in his ear of how it wasn't fair for them to get to live their lives in secrecy when he was living his out in the open for all of the Wizarding Community to see; that side of him vowed to bring them home and make them face everyone and face the consequences of what they had done.

* * *

"Hermione!" Blaise yelled across the house.

"In the kitchen!" She yelled back. He walked in to find her busying herself over the stove with what appeared to be homemade pasta sauce.

"I don't understand why you don't just use your wand." He drawled, sitting down in a chair at the table. Hermione smiled at him.

"Because doing it this way is relaxing and it gives me something to do. How did your date go last night?" She asked as she slowly stirred the red sauce in the pot. Blaise grinned.

"It went fantastic! Carmella really is amazing, Italian witches are where it's at Hermione I'm telling you." Hermione turned towards him and gave a small laugh.

"I don't think Italian witches are my type. I have my hands full with my very own little witch and she is proving to be quite the handful. By the way are you still able to pick her up from school and take her to her ballet lessons?"

"Of course I can Hermione. Just like I always do every Wednesday since you enrolled her. Besides she has her auditions coming up for their recital and she likes to practice in the park after school before her lessons. She's going to get the part I just know it. As for her being a handful it comes from her Father, although her Mother was a handful when she was younger as well, as I recall." Blaise smirked at her. He watched as her eyes glazed over at the mention of his Niece's Father.

It had been over a year since the investigator had snapped his picture. They had been sure that Draco would have come running right away but instead it had been eerily quite. Hermione had been walking on eggshells for months after it had happened but she was slowly letting her guard down as her daughter grew older and demanded more attention from them.

"The sauce Hermione." Blaise said quietly. She snapped out of it and went back to stirring it before lowering the heat and placing the lid on the large pot. She turned and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"You know I appreciate you so much." She said, looking at him sadly. He smiled at her and stood, walking over to her and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I know you do. Now, I'm off to the market before I pick up the little ballerina. We will see you later."

* * *

"It's impolite to stare." A little voice shook Draco out of his thoughts. He was still sitting on the bench in the park. He shook his head and realized he must have been daydreaming and zoned out. There was a little girl standing in front of him, brown eyes and dark hair with little freckles on her nose, who looked to be about 8 or 9. She waved her hands in front of him again. He smirked at her.

"Didn't your parents teach you to not talk to strangers?" He asked her. He looked around to see if there were any angry parents making their way towards them. The little girl shook her head at him, her straight hair flying into her eyes, and she bounced towards the bench and sat beside him staring at him. Draco just stared back unsure of how to proceed. Sure he had been around Harry and Ron's kids but those were kids he had known their whole lives.

"What we're you thinking about?" The little girl asked him.

"I don't see how that's any of your business little girl. Now run along, don't you have parents who will be looking for you?"

"My Uncle is going to pick me up for ballet class soon." She said, hopping back off the bench. She started to twirl in front of Draco and practice her ballet moves.

"You talk funny Mister. Are you visiting?"

"You could say that." Draco replied while running a hand through his hair. Why wouldn't this little girl just leave him alone? Better yet why was he still sitting here? He stood, and the girl stopped her twirling and just looked up him.

"Are you leaving now?" She asked him. He gave her a short nod and turned to go.

"Have a good day Mister!" She said. He was astounded at how this little girl could be so friendly towards a stranger. Her parents really should teach her to be more careful.

"Er….you too. Have a good ballet lesson." He turned back around to leave but stopped quickly when the girl ran in front of him.

"I have auditions for my recital soon! My Uncle tells me I'm going to get the lead part no matter what but I want to practice so I get it for sure! We're going to be doing my Mother's favorite ballet and-" She stopped and looked around Draco.

"I have to go. It was nice meeting you Mister…" She trailed off expecting Draco to fill in his name. He laughed to himself, she reminded him of a first year Hermione.

"Malfoy…Draco Malfoy." He responded. What harm could come of telling a child his real name?

"It was nice to meet you Mr. Malfoy! I'm Clar….Clareese." With that she ran off. Draco shook his head. Children were so strange.

* * *

Hermione smiled as she watched her daughter perform flawlessly in her ballet class. She had met Blaise there after she had finished her pasta sauce and checked in at the gallery.

Over the last few years she had taken up an interest in the small art gallery that was nestled in the heart of the city. She volunteered her time and had helped put together numerous art shows that had brought more attention to the small business, Blaise and her had also made a generous donation. It was a good project for her, and it was nice to have something to keep her busy.

Blaise spent his time traveling to visit his Mother and chasing after young witches when he wasn't helping to take care of her daughter. He had been an amazing Father figure so far, but they had both agreed that they were going to be truthful and let her know right from the start that Blaise was just her Uncle.

Blaise came over to stand beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"She's the best. No doubt about it. Takes after her Mother, has to be the best at everything." He whispered to her. Hermione smiled.

"I wasn't the best at _everything_ Blaise. I couldn't fly to save my life. Or predict anything from tea leaves."

"No one could predict anything from the tea leaves. Divination was a joke."

"Look at her though. How did I create something so perfect?" Hermione asked him. Blaise smiled and gave her a small laugh.

"No one would have ever expected any less than perfection from you." Blaise looked at her. They were interrupted with the end of the class and Hermione bent down and spread her arms wide welcoming her daughter into a big hug. She picked her up and set her on her hip.

"You were amazing! I have no doubt that you will get the part my little ballerina." She brushed her nose with the little girls.

"Uncle Blaise said there would be no doubt that I would get it. Did you finish the pasta Mom? I've been waiting for it all day! I've been practicing my glamour in the park after school. Magic is exhausting though!" Hermione laughed at her as Blaise held open the door for them to walk back to the house.

"Yes my love the pasta is all ready for you to eat as soon as we get home. And I've told you to not practice your magic unless we're at home. It's very important that we remain hidden from the Muggles, remember what I told you?" Hermione asked her. Her daughter nodded at her in understanding.

"Now tell us what you learned in school today la mia nipotina?" Blaise asked her. She started rambling off what she did for school that day as they made their way home, she decided to keep her new friend Draco Malfoy to herself, and secretly hoped that he would be at the park the next day.

* * *

Draco sat on the same bench in the same park as he had the day before. He didn't know what possessed him to come back, he should have been looking for Hermione, but he had felt drawn to the park. He had altered his appearance again with glamour but had changed a few things so he didn't look the way he had the day before. If he just so happened to run into Clareese again he wondered if she would notice that he looked different. He wondered why he really cared.

He chalked it up to being lonely and laughed at himself. Ron would get a kick out of him befriending a child because he was lonely. He wondered when he had started to think of Ron in any kind of friendly manner. But here he was, in a park waiting to see if a child was there, thinking about how Ron would make fun of him for being lonely.

"You like to zone out a lot don't you Mister Draco?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. He refocused his attention to the child in front of him. He was surprised to see that like his appearance, hers was also slightly changed. She wasn't as tall as she had been yesterday and her hair was a lighter shade of brown. So there were magical families here in Ravello.

"I practice my glamour after school in the park. It's the only form of magic my Mother says I can play around with but she doesn't like me to do it in public where the Muggles can see."

Draco just stared at her. Surely her parents wouldn't want her going around talking about magic and Muggles. She was being careless. He looked around to make sure no one else was around. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

"You changed your appearance. Not a lot but a little. You couldn't have done that unless you were a Wizard." She said matter of fact. "Is Draco Malfoy even your real name?" She asked him. He nodded at her.

"It is. I highly doubt your parents would approve of you going around talking about magic so openly though Clareese…if that is _your_ real name." She grinned at him.

"Maybe it is and maybe it isn't." She started twirling around and practicing her ballet moves again. "My Uncle started teaching me when I was really young to recognize the signs of magic. So I wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't able to recognize that you were using glamour. My Mom and Uncle use it all the time. They always say it's a game they play but I think their hiding." Draco perked up at the mention of this. He leaned forward and locked eyes with Clareese.

"What is your Mothers name?" He asked her suspiciously. The little girl smirked at him.

"I'm not telling you. I'm not telling you my Uncle's name either." She said. Her tone of voice had gone from light and bubbly to low and serious. Draco wasn't stupid, he knew he would have cajole her into telling him. But he had nothing but time so he could wait. He leaned back on the bench and took out an ice cream bar from his lunch bag. He took a second one out and handed it to her. She sat on the bench next to him and took it, changing back to the light and bubbly little girl she had been just a few moments ago.

"It's still cold!" She exclaimed. Draco laughed at her.

"I charmed it to stay cold." He stated simply. They went about eating their ice cream and making small talk until she had to leave. Draco sighed as he walked back to his boat, another afternoon wasted. But the loneliness was starting to slowly recede a little bit. He was grateful for that at least.

* * *

Hermione was inspecting a painting when a pair of little arms wrapped around her legs. She smiled and turned picking up her daughter. She nodded to the person she was with that the painting looked good to sell and to make the arrangements for it to be sent to the buyer that was interested.

"How was school today my love?" Hermione asked, rubbing noses with her.

"School was ok. Miss Maisey let me watch over Franklin, our class hamster, for the whole day! She told me she thinks he likes me the best but I have to keep it a secret. And then I was practicing ballet in the park and I met a wizard and we ate ice cream. And then Uncle Blaise picked me up and we went to see Grandma Zabini…I really hate apparating though Mom it makes me feel sick. I told Uncle next time I just wanna take the train even if it takes a lot longer. Then we came back and I picked these for you!" She rattled on and held out a bouquet of wild flowers. Hermione took them and smelled them, smiling.

"These are beautiful! Thank you. How was Grandma Zabini? And…wait a minute did you say you met a wizard in the park and had ice cream with him?"

Her daughter lowered her eyes and looked like she was contemplating what she was going to say next. She was about to celebrate her sixth birthday and it still amazed Hermione how incredibly smart she was for her age. But she had explained over and over and over again to her the importance of keeping their magic a secret. She felt like one day she was going to have to obliviate a whole lot of Muggles because her daughter just didn't seem to understand. It had been a fear of hers and Blaise's, living amongst Muggles, for this reason right here. She was going to have to talk to Blaise about it.

"Well?" She prompted.

"He was using glamour like me. I saw him yesterday too. He didn't like that I was talking about it in the open either. He says that magic has to be kept a secret to protect people like us." Hermione smiled at her daughters ability to befriend just about anyone.

"Well he's absolutely right. And you need to be more careful ok? I don't like the sound of a grown man sitting at the park two days in a row." She would definitely be having a talk with Blaise when she got home. They had put up a ward around the park so that her daughter wouldn't be able to leave without one of them. They never took into account someone coming into the park.

* * *

"Tell me a story."

Draco rolled his eyes. For the third day in a row he found himself sitting on the park bench entertaining this little girl. Today she had short red hair and green eyes. She reminded him a lot of his cousin Teddy who had gotten his Mother's Metamorphmagus genes.

"A story huh? What kind of story do you wanna hear?" He asked her.

"Show me what you look like without glamour and tell me a story about where you come from." She said. She had stopped practicing her ballet and was sitting cross legged on the grass in front of him.

"I won't drop my glamour but I can tell you a story I suppose." He paused thinking for a moment. Then a smile snuck it's way onto his face.

"Alright I got one. Once there was a little lioness cub. She was a bossy know it all who liked to read books and get herself into trouble with her little cub friends. She went to the most prestigious school for magic even though no one in her family had magical abilities, just her. In the same year as her was a cunning and sly snake. The snake came from a long line of purebloods and didn't like the lion cubs. For years the cubs ruined the snake's life. The lioness cub was always better at the snake in class and the other cubs always beat the snake at Quidditch."

"You're talking about Hogwarts and Gryffindor and Slytherin!" Clareese giggled, interrupting him. Draco smiled, what child with magic abilities didn't know about Hogwarts? He nodded at her and continued on with his story.

"One year the snake's best friend decided to befriend the lioness cub so the snake had to be around her more and more. He started to notice that she had grown into a beautiful adult lioness and he decided he wanted to be friends with her too. The snake was having a really hard time that year but all of that went away when the lioness decided she wanted to be friends with the snake as well. Eventually the snake and the lioness fell in love."

"And they lived happily ever after!" Clareese shouted throwing her hands up in the air. A sad smile crossed Draco's features and he shook his head at her.

"No little one, they didn't live happily ever after. The snake made a very bad mistake and he lost the lioness' trust. He got into a lot of trouble and by the time he was out she had left and he was never able to find her." He finished the story, looking down at his hands.

"Well that isn't a very happy story Mister Draco. My Mom has told me all about Hogwarts! She went there when she was younger! Uncle says she was a Gryffindor, a lion like in your story! And he was a Slytherin, also just like your story. That's what this necklace stands for! Mom says she got it when she was in school."

Draco had frozen listening to the girl talk. He watched as she reached into her shirt and pulled out a necklace and leaned forward to show him. His breath caught in his throat as he came face to face with the necklace he had given Hermione all those Christmas' ago in the Room of Requirement. The little girl looked at him puzzled as to why he had gone quiet all of a sudden.

"Are you ok Mister Draco?" She asked him.

"If I remove my glamour will you remove yours?" He asked her in a whisper. She stood up and took a step back from him.

"Why are you being so weird?" She asked him. Draco stood earning another step back from the little girl. He let his glamour slip and when he opened his eyes to look at her again he found that she wore a look of complete shock on her face.

"Clareese will you remove yours now?" He asked her again. She shook her head at him.

"My name isn't Clareese Mister Draco…it's Clara." She let her glamour slip as she said it.

Draco's heart skipped a beat. He had told Hermione once that if he ever had a little girl he would want to name her Clara, from The Nutcracker Ballet, the same ballet that this little girl was practicing for.

When her glamour had faded away she had shrunk a couple of inches and her hair had grown long and curly and pale blonde. Her skin tone was darker than his, the same shade as Hermione's. She opened her eyes and grey met grey. He felt like his heart was in his throat. Clara looked just as shocked.

"You look just like me." She whispered. Neither of them moved and neither of them noticed another figure approaching them from the side. It wasn't until a hand found its way to Draco's shoulder that he finally snapped out of it. He looked at the person who had laid a hand on his shoulder and received another shock.

"Hello mate. I guess you finally found us."

Draco couldn't find the words. He had been waiting for this moment for six years and now that it was finally here he couldn't find anything to say.

"Uncle Blaise you have a lot of explaining to do!" Clara shouted putting her hands on her hips. Draco shook his head in disbelief, she had taken the words right out of his mouth.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Yay! Finally got a chapter done! Three more to go. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:** WOW I am so amazed and completely blown away by the support I received on the first chapter! Thank you all so so so so much! That kind of response is what fuels a writer! To know that so many of you took the time to review and follow or favorite the story is just amazing! And yes every one of you is getting a shout out…unless for some reason I didn't get the email notifying me. Then I am truly sorry.

Thank you to ayuzachan, moongoddessgirl1, ImmaSlytherout, Bratalia, Adastra5, Erhodes, Grovek26, srkw89, Jessica Jasso, fefetwimom, Nologinbutimhere, FizzyFictioner, cici love, Lettuce. , Chantal9, Expanding Horizons, JuliSt, CGinny, Frogster, skellyshook, trinka belle, Jules-Millicent, Guest, PepperMiles, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, and uicchi for all the amazing reviews!

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 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing

* * *

Draco stared across the table at the man who used to be his best friend. They had walked away from the park so as to not make a scene, and ended up in a little restaurant that Draco hadn't been to yet. Draco had stayed unusually quiet the entire walk, as had Clara. They kept glancing at one another but the second their eyes would meet they would look away.

It seemed as if all the anger had left Draco's body and had been replaced with confusion. So there _was_ a child involved. But the child was very obviously not Blaise's but his? He couldn't quite place her age so he couldn't place when exactly Hermione could have gotten pregnant. How the hell had she not lost the baby when she had been on the run with Harry and Ron? How had Harry and Ron never noticed? Why the hell hadn't Blaise told him? Why hadn't Hermione told him? She had to have been pregnant when they were still in school, had she not found out until afterwards? Why had his child been kept from him for almost six years? Did Clara know he was her Father? Worse, did she think Blaise was her Father? Had Hermione and Blaise developed a relationship over raising the girl?

All these questions were running around in Draco's head and he didn't even know where to begin with asking them all. A pretty waitress interrupted his thoughts by coming over to the table and giving Blaise a dazzling smile.

"Hello Miss Clara! Blaise, would you guys like your usual today? And I see you've brought a new friend with you! Do you need a few extra minutes to look over the menu Sir?" She asked as Blaise and Clara nodded their heads at her over their orders.

Draco turned his attentions from Blaise to the waitress and shook his head.

"I'll just have the penne with marinara. No meat." He answered her. She smiled at him and gave a small laugh.

"That's exactly what Miss Clara orders every time! I'll get that in right away." She walked away and Draco refocused his attention to Blaise. He opened his mouth to say something but Clara cut him off with a large sigh.

"So are you related to my Dad or _are_ you my Dad? Cause we look the same so we're obviously related. Mom and Uncle Blaise have always told me that I'll meet him one day, my Dad that is, when things aren't so bad back where they lived before they moved here." She said. Draco just looked at her and then back to Blaise raising an eyebrow.

"Which parent did she inherit her forwardness from?" He said sarcastically. Blaise laughed and Clara huffed at him and crossed her arms.

"Answer my question Mister Draco." Draco paused trying to carefully find the words to answer her.

"Clara, I think I'd like to talk to your Mother before answering that question." He said softly. She stared at him for a few seconds before accepting his answer and looking up at Blaise.

"Uncle Blaise can I go help Isabelle in the kitchens?" She asked. Blaise chuckled at her and nodded watching as she bounced out of the booth and towards the kitchen.

"Isabelle is an old friend of Mother's. She taught Hermione how to cook real Italian food when we first decided on settling here. Clara is always wanting to help her out in the kitchen whether we're here, her house or ours." Blaise said.

Draco bristled at hearing Blaise say _our house_. He needed explanations and now he could get them without Clara around.

"You have a lot of explaining to do so I suggest you start doing it before I hex you so badly you can't speak well enough to explain anything ever again." He drawled. Blaise nodded in understanding.

"Well, where to begin?" He started.

"How about from the beginning." Draco interrupted.

"Well, you obviously know that Hermione and I stayed in contact through the war. Same as I did with you. I didn't go to Italy with Mother because I wanted to make sure you two would be ok. You both were going through your own version of Hell, it didn't feel right to just up and leave. As soon as she found out she was pregnant she owled me. It was a miracle that she hadn't miscarried yet, all the stress she was under. It was even more of a miracle she didn't lose it at the Manor after what Bellatrix did to her."

Draco lowered his eyes to the table and softly nodded for Blaise to continue.

"After the war was won she was around four months along. She was scared of her friends finding out, of everyone finding out. She wasn't ashamed of having a child by you, but she sure as Hell was scared thinking about how everyone else would receive the news of a war hero giving birth to a Death Eater's child. She was afraid they would think you raped her at school or that they would shun Clara. She didn't want her to be raised around that. Your trial was set and she had a feeling that they were going to let you and Narcissa go. She was still so heart broken that you had let the Death Eaters in the school. That you had chosen to stay on the dark side over coming to the light with her. She didn't trust you and she certainly didn't trust herself around you. She felt like she couldn't tell Harry and Ron, that they would react too harshly and go after you. It wouldn't have been hard to turn the Wizengamot's minds around and send you straight to Azkaban with a few harsh words from two thirds of the Golden Trio. Especially with the win of the war still so fresh. So she asked me to take her away. It was a hard decision mate believe me. But in the end I did what I thought was going to best for her and the baby."

"And you didn't think to tell me this at all? Your first reaction should have been to tell me she was pregnant Blaise. The second you found out you should have sent me an owl." Draco said.

"Then what would have happened Draco? Don't be stupid mate. What if the owl had been intercepted? What if anyone on Voldemort's side would have found out that she was pregnant and that it was your child? They would have gone after her and not stopped until they had her. She would have been killed and I don't even want to know what would have happened to Clara."

"You had plenty of time after the war to tell me. You had seven days of seeing me face to face, every day you visited there was a chance to tell me."

"She didn't want you to know Draco. It wasn't my place to tell you."

"You were my best friend Blaise if it wasn't your place then whose was it?!"

"I **AM** your best friend and it was **HER** place to tell you. You and I have been friends since we were in nappies yes, but I am her friend too, and I protected her and **YOUR** child!"

"Don't you think six years is a little excessive? There's been plenty of time to notify me. You did such a good job at hiding don't tell me you didn't know I was looking for you both."

"We were never meant to be gone so long. It tore her up being away from Harry and Ron and Ginny. She was depressed for such a long time, but then we arrived here and slowly I watched that depression go away. I watched her become her old self again. Over time I think she just became comfortable with our life here."

Draco was silent, not sure how to ask his next question. He ended up not getting the chance however as Clara came back to the table holding a plate of food followed by the waitress.

"Here you guys are. Miss Clara is quite the Master Chef in the kitchen. She said she's been practicing at home with Hermione. Isabelle couldn't be more proud." She said. Blaise smiled up at her.

"Yes any time Hermione cooks she's always in the kitchen helping out, and speaking of cooking lessons, are we still on for Saturday night?" Blaise asked her charmingly.

Draco felt relieved as Blaise had unknowingly answered the next question he was going to ask him. There was no way he and Hermione were involved if he was securing plans for a Saturday night with the waitress. She blushed and nodded her head before going to tend to her other tables. Draco watched and both Clara and Blaise tucked into their food and he decided to do the same.

* * *

Hermione walked into her house and immediately sensed that something was off. She paused at the entrance and realized that there was a magical presence in the house that did not belong there. Her breath quickened as she walked further inside, slowly.

"Blaise? Clara?" She called out. She heard a movement coming from the living room and she froze. It seemed like hours before Blaise popped his head around the corner and she let out a sigh of relief. She could hear Clara laughing in the room and wondered why she hadn't heard her when she had first walked in, and what was it that she was sensing?

"Oh Merlin Blaise you scared me. I thought for a moment someone had broken in. Do you have someone over? Things feel…prickly, for lack of better word." She rambled as she hung up her coat and keys. Clara came around the corner and jumped into her arms before he had a chance to respond.

"Mommy! Come on come on! You need to talk to our new friend! He looks just like me! I think he's my Daddy but he won't tell me the truth until he talks to you. Grown ups are annoying. I've been waiting for this day for forever!"

Hermione froze and almost dropped Clara. Her eyes locked on Blaise and the expression on his face told her that her little girl, while being overly enthusiastic about a situation she wasn't aware was so serious, was absolutely telling the truth. She felt like she couldn't breath. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Then she watched, in what seemed like slow motion, as a head of platinum blonde hair came around the corner. Her eyes met his grey ones for the first time in years. They were the last thing she saw as her world went black.

"Hermione? Hermione are you ok? Take it easy, slowly, atta girl." She could hear Blaise cooing to her as he helped her sit up.

"What happened?" She asked hazily. She brought a hand to her head and looked up to see Clara clinging to Draco. He was holding her, their little girl, in his arms and the scene couldn't have looked more perfect to her in the most frightening way.

"You fainted." Blaise said simply. She glared at him and he raised his hands up in defense.

"Are you ok Mommy?" Clara asked her from Draco's arms.

"Yes Clara I'm fine. Just very surprised to see your new friend, my love. Why don't you go with Uncle Blaise to that little ice cream place you guys love so much? Give Mommy a chance to talk with him." She said breathily.

Clara looked at her with a weird look for a second before wiggling out of Draco's arms. She planted a kiss on Hermione's cheek before pulling Blaise out the door without another word. Hermione stood and looked down at her hands as she played nervously with the hem of her white button down shirt where it had come untucked.

Draco took the moment to look her over. She was wearing a dark grey pencil skirt that ended just above her knees with a pair of black pumps. Her hair had been tied in a low bun at the nape of her neck and a few pieces had escaped it framing her face. He was surprised to see that she was wearing more makeup than he had ever seen her wear before. While simple and tasteful in a more natural way and completed with a dark wine colored lipstick, it was still a lot more than he ever would have thought she would wear. But she still looked as beautiful to him as the last day he had seen her.

He took a step towards her earning a step back from her. He frowned and stayed where he was, not wanting to scare her.

"It's been a long time." He said lamely. She looked up and gave him an annoyed look.

"What are you doing here Draco?"

"Finding out I have a daughter that's been kept from me for six years apparently." He said crossly. Hermione looked back down at her hands with an ashamed look on her face.

"I couldn't stay there Draco. I didn't trust you. I don't trust you." She said sadly.

"Whether you trust me or not you had no right to keep her from me."

"I'm not sorry for leaving Draco. I wasn't going to raise her by myself as the daughter of a Death Eater, when it would have been obvious she had been conceived during the war. Look at her, she's the spitting image of you. Everyone would have known and no one would have accepted it. I wasn't going to raise her in a hostile environment like that!"

"I wasn't sentenced and apparently you knew they'd let me go! We could have faced it together!"

"Why would I have wanted to face anything with you?!" She screamed at him, tears started to fall down her face. "You chose to stay on _**his**_ side! You chose to do his bidding! You let Death Eaters into the _school_ for Merlin's sake Draco! How could you have done that? There were so many innocent lives that didn't deserve to be thrust in the middle! Did you have no conscious?! We're you spending your time with me to throw Harry off your back? Did you sleep with me for some sort of sick pleasure? Or did Voldemort tell you to do that too?!" She cried.

"Don't you dare! Don't you for a second think that what we had was forced by Voldemort's hand. I fell in love with you on my own! Long before sixth year Hermione I was just too stupid to realize it until long after you had left! I know I messed up that night at school. But all I could think about was saving my Mother, that was literally the only thing on my mind. I'm sorry I didn't choose you that night. I'm so sorry I didn't stop Bellatrix from what she did at the Manor. I'm sorry that I didn't find you sooner after the trial. I wanted to tell you every single day from the second you left me in the Astronomy Tower that I love you. I would have protected you and our child with every fiber of my being Hermione. You would have had nothing to fear from anyone! Neither of you will have anything to fear…ever. I let you go once, I'd be absolutely daft to let you go again." Draco had stepped closer to her with each sentence.

Hermione was looking up at him, silent tears streaming down her face. How could she trust him? Everything was moving way too fast for her.

"How can I possibly trust you after what you did?" She asked him softly.

"I will do whatever it takes to gain your trust back Hermione. But you can't deny me my daughter any longer. She needs to know that I'm her Father and that I love her and will always love her and that I never abandoned her."

"I never said you abandoned us. Blaise and I have been nothing but honest with Clara from the minute she could understand why her Father wasn't around. She doesn't know all of the details but she knows I left on my own. I've always told her that she would meet you one day when it was safe to go back." Hermione said.

"It's always been safe! Even if you didn't think you could trust me do you really think that Harry and Ron would have let anyone treat you illy or try to harm you?!" Draco shouted. He saw the confused look that passed her eyes at him calling her friends by their first names.

"Yes Hermione I said Harry and Ron instead of Potter and Weasel. I enlisted Harry's help to find you as soon as I had found out you'd vanished. Imagine my surprise to find that you had left with Blaise and no one else knew where you had gone off to." He scoffed.

"I told you I'm not sorry for leaving. I'm not sorry for asking Blaise to help me leave either. If there is anything I am sorry about it's not allowing Harry, Ron and Ginny in on what was going on. But I didn't want them to go after you when they found out." She looked down at the ground again. "Everything was in such a fragile state still and I thought that if they found out they would go speak against you at your trial. Do anything they could to see you thrown in Azkaban."

"That would have probably been true back then. But things have changed now. I would even go so far as to acknowledge them as friends. I spend enough time with them. Ron's kids even call me Uncle Draco, he hates it so much." Draco laughed softly.

Hermione laughed as well. Draco reached out to lift her chin so she would meet his gaze. He searched her eyes silently and rubbed a thumb across her bottom lip.

"I've missed you so much." He whispered.

"Draco…it's been six years." She whispered back. He leaned his head down to hers, lips hovering above her own.

"And I will spend the rest of my life trying to make everything up to you if I have to." His lips touched hers for only a moment before he withdrew them.

Her eyes were wide and she was trembling slightly. He moved his hand from her chin to the side of her face and brought the other one to rest on her hip pulling her to him gently. She brought a shaky hand up to mirror his own on her cheek and grabbed his arm with the other. She held him tightly, as if she were to fall if she let go.

"I'm not ready to go back. I don't even know if we can make this work." She whispered. He nodded at her.

"Then we can stay here until you're ready to go home. And I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make this work. Besides you're forgetting one thing."

"What's that?"

"A Malfoy always gets what he wants." He grinned at her before capturing her lips with his own again. She smiled against his lips and he deepened the kiss pushing her back against the wall. She ran her hands up through his hair and he tightened his grip on her hips.

"Ahem!" They sprang apart and looked to see Blaise standing in the doorway, Clara clinging to his legs with a frown on her face.

"That's gross Mommy, Mister Draco." She said staring up at her parents. They laughed and Hermione wiped the tears off of her face while bending down and reaching for Clara. The little girl ran to her and jumped in her arms.

"Soooo does this mean you _are_ my Daddy?" She asked looking at Draco. Draco looked past the little girl at Hermione who nodded in response.

"Yes Clara, this means I am your Dad." He said, unsure of how the girl was going to react. Clara shrugged her shoulders and looked over to Blaise.

"I knew it. Pay up Uncle." She said sticking out her hand. Draco and Hermione both looked at Blaise incredulously.

"What?" He shrugged, digging into his pockets. He pulled out a few gold coins and set them in the little girls outstretched hand. "She's just like her Father."

* * *

 **6 months later**

"Clara! Hurry up or you're going to be late!" Hermione yelled up the stairs to her daughters room. She finished gathering Clara's ballet shoes and anything extra that they might need for the recital that night. Draco walked into the living room fidgeting with his tie. Hermione leaned over without a second thought and fixed it for him. He smiled warmly at her and gave her a small kiss.

"You look beautiful." He told her, causing her to blush.

"Alright I'm ready! I'm ready!" Clara said, bouncing into the room. "Is Uncle Blaise going to meet us there?" She asked, taking Draco's hand. Hermione nodded at her.

"He went to pick up Carmella and Isabelle and then said he would go straight there! And afterwards were all going to go out for ice cream!" She answered.

"Yay!" Clara cried, throwing her hands around Draco's neck.

A little while later found Hermione and Draco seated in the front row of the little auditorium that Clara's recital was being held in. Draco waved over Blaise as soon as he saw him walk in. He took his seat next to Hermione and fidgeted with the small device that she had called a camera recorder.

"All you have to do is press this button and keep the camera on her." She had explained to him.

He marveled at how well his daughter performed. She was the epitome of elegance. A perfect mixture of himself and Hermione. He whistled out at her as she took center stage and bowed, receiving a standing ovation. His little girl was only six and was already so accomplished, he mused. She was going to conquer the world when she was older, and he'd do everything in his power to help her.

"Draco…you pushed the wrong button." Hermione's voice interrupted his thoughts. He blanched and looked down at the recorder in his hands.

"Bloody Hell."

* * *

Hermione watched as Draco chased Clara down the pier to where his boat was docked. They had gone to get ice cream after the recital and then Clara had asked if they could go for a little boat ride. Hermione wrapped her shawl around her tighter and looked up at the moon that was shining brightly above them. Blaise stepped up beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him and smiled.

"I think it's time to go home." She said softly. Blaise kissed the top of her head.

"I think I'm going to stay a while longer. Ask Carmella to move in." She smiled up at him.

"I think that's a wonderful idea! Although I'm not sure how Clara will fair without you. She's never been away from you for more than a few days." Hermione said.

Blaise watched as Draco carefully placed his little girl on the deck of his boat. She started running around to all sides, looking over into the water.

"I think she'll be ok." He said. Hermione looked back to the boat and watched her daughter, her's and Draco's daughter, and smiled.

"I think we'll all be ok." She said, walking towards the boat, Clara and Draco's laughter drifting over the breeze.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** (Wipes tears from her eyes) Don't we just love a happy ending? **WELL IT'S NOT THE ENDING YET!** Two more chapters to go! Next we see how Harry, Ron and the others react to Hermione coming home! Please review and let me know what you thought!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** A lot of you didn't like the fact that I didn't draw out the reunion of Draco and Hermione, that I didn't make Draco work a bit harder for it, sorry to disappoint but I always had the intentions of writing a bit of the hardship in this chapter. Hopefully that makes up for it a little bit.

Thank you to dorklover, PennyThomas, musicalrelapse, dollydolphin, Rosejriley, unmistakably, Nickie Lynn, keish, 1991, Nacf, , forgetfulmonkie, Yasric M. S, Deductions-of-Sherlolly, A Shadow Away, figsk8r, SterekDramione721, DanzAngel, Lycja, laurinda, , Ashtie13, Cassiopeia88, uniqu3s0u7, VampGurlKisses, TiimidaSilver, Gryffindor Doll, lynneas73, iceheartz, I'm not dead. Lets have dinner, TeddyBella, ItsNanna, kiwiroo, chinkie, monicasa1991, and Chocfrog456 for following the story.

Thank you to almac1991, PennyThomas, Sandria99, dollydolphin, Br1ghteys, Extacy925, luckyducky1986, Chain-SawSmile, Deductions-of-Sherlolly, Alice. , SterekDramione721, Lycja, laurinda, Cassiopeia88, madelineforce, TiimidaSilver, mssweetychessgir, Chantal9, ItsNanna, and ksouza3 for adding the story to your favorites.

Thank you to musicalrelapse, Extacy925, all guests, DanzAngel, Adastra5, skellyshook, MCannon5887, trinka belle, FizzyFictioner, Bratalia, My Universe, Frogster, Grovek 26, JuliSt, Pepper Miles, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, and CGinny for reviewing the story.

A very huge thank you to those of you who have added me as an author to your alerts list or to your favorites list. I have a lot of ideas in the works, not for long stories but for some one shots or short stories. Knowing that you guys want to be alerted when I drop a new story means the world. It's because of all of you that review, favorite and follow that I'm still here writing after all this time. So thank you to Sandria99, Deductions-of-Sherlolly, SterekDramione721, laurinda, Kelsey Galloway, sed418, and CGinny.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

* * *

"No this was a horrible idea! I can't believe you talked me into this!" Hermione yelled at Blaise while she threw things out of a box and back onto Clara's bed. Blaise looked at her sternly and started placing things back into the box behind her.

"I didn't talk you into anything Hermione you made the decision on your own with Draco. Now stop unpacking everything and take a deep breath. Everything is going to be ok, remember?" He took her by the shoulders and made her look into his eyes while he prompted her to take deep breaths.

They were supposed to be leaving for London the following day and Hermione was having what Draco had joked was a "Mione Meltdown". She hadn't found it funny that he was trying to play off the name she had given his mood swings back in school. In fact she hadn't found much of what Draco did the last few days amusing at all. She had woken up one morning and all these emotions had just flooded her about whether or not Draco could be trusted. Over the last half year Draco had been spending all the time he could making up for lost time getting to know his daughter. He lived in the house with them, although from the get go Hermione had made him sleep in his own room, and on days like the last few had been she forced him to go stay on his boat. He had done nothing but prove his love for their little girl and he had been desperately trying to make up for his past mistakes with Hermione, but she still had days where she just wasn't sure if it was what she wanted.

One day they would be fine. She would let him touch her, kiss her, hold her, and over the past few months they had been intimate a few times. But always following a few days behind would be a meltdown of epic proportions where they would fight and bicker like they were back in school before sixth year had ever happened.

Blaise was always careful to make sure Clara was no where in the house when they started arguing. It usually always ended with Draco leaving, slamming the door behind him, and Hermione crying locking herself up in her room. None of which Clara needed to see or hear.

Of course the little girl was not stupid and she knew when her parents were fighting. She didn't always understand what they were fighting about but she knew when her Mom was sad and when her Dad wouldn't stay the night at the house that something was wrong.

Hermione's breathing had slowed and she sat on the bed clutching a stuffed animal of Clara's to her chest.

"I don't know if I am ready for all of this Blaise. Moving back, living with him, having to face everyone. It's just a lot to do all at once, I worry how Clara is going to handle it." She murmured into the stuffed owl. Blaise chuckled at her.

"Draco told you that you guys didn't have to move into the Manor. He told you he would buy you a flat just for you and Clara if that's what would make you comfortable. He's done nothing but respect your wishes since he came here Hermione. But you have to stop this hot and cold thing, it's frustrating for him, and confusing for Clara. One day she sees her parents happy and smiling at each other and the next you are refusing to speak to him and you don't want him in the house. That is a lot for her to handle here and that's with me helping out. The only way she's going to make it through this unscathed is if you two are a united front." He said. Hermione let out a huge sigh and nodded her head.

"I know Blaise. I know. It's just hard. Sometimes I have nightmares about that night at school, most nights it's the Manor. It's hard to wake up from them and not be mad at him. I feel like I rushed into things when he came back, for Clara's sake. But some days it's fine and I feel like we never spent all those years apart."

"Maybe you two should just sit down and talk. You guys are supposed to be leaving tomorrow. You need to figure out what you want now Hermione. You can't go back to London like this. You won't survive it."

Hermione nodded at him, clutching the owl a little tighter. Blaise looked around the room at all the boxes and laughed.

"Why are you packing the muggle way anyways? This would go so much faster with magic." He said. With a wave of his wand everything had been packed away into the boxes, leaving the room bare of anything that had belonged to Clara.

Hermione looked around the room and felt her heart skip a beat. This was it. There was no turning back now.

* * *

Draco looked at Hermione from across the table. The boat swayed back and forth gently on the water and the warm breeze had died down to a gentle flow. She had brought dinner from Isabelle's and he had conjured up a table on the deck of the boat for them to eat. She hadn't brought Clara because she had realized that Blaise had been right, they had to be united when they went back.

"I know it scares you Hermione. I know you think that there is going to be all sorts of retribution for leaving and not telling anyone. For coming back with a child, my child, but I assure you I have done nothing but rebuild my name to mean something besides fear and pureblood supremacy. My name is respected again, people won't be as quick to judge as you think." He said. She shook her head at him.

"It doesn't matter that you've rebuilt your name Draco. All that matters is that people will do the math and realize that she was conceived at a time when I was a member of the Golden Trio and you were a Death Eater." She spat the words like they were poison on her tongue.

Draco looked down at the table with a look that Hermione could only describe as sadness. She looked down at the table as well and fiddled with the last meatball on her plate.

"I can't help it Draco. I'm just scared. I'm scared that people will lash out at me for leaving so suddenly and she's going to get caught in the cross fire. It's me that they are going to want to tear down, you can't save me like you can her. If anything I'm sure Rita Skeeter will spin it to where you're the sad lonely Father who had his child taken away by the horrible Hermione Granger." Hermione scoffed. Draco laughed at her.

"No one believes a word Skeeter says Hermione, and if I'm saying otherwise honestly there will be no way she can even run a story like that." He reached for her hand across the table. She eyed it before putting her small hand in his. He rubbed his thumb over her hand gently and smiled warmly at her.

"I told you I'm not going to let anything happen to you Hermione. I told you that I would spend the rest of my life making up my mistakes to you. But you can't keep hiding here, it's not fair to anyone, yourself included. Tell me you don't miss London. Tell me you don't miss Harry and Ron and Ginny. There's so much you've missed out on. Tell me you don't want to go back."

"I do want to go back. I do. I miss everyone terribly, I'm just afraid at how they're going to react." She looked down at the table.

"They already know we were together in school. They already know that there is a kid involved. I respectfully have not owled them that it is my child and not Blaise's, I know that you want to tell them yourself. But there really is nothing else you could possibly surprise them with except for that, they miss you Hermione." A strange look crossed his face.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"If anyone had told me ten years ago that this is where we would be today I would have hexed them within an inch of their life." He exclaimed. Hermione laughed at him.

The tension left her body and she sat back in her chair, glass of wine in hand. She took a sip and stared out over the water. She saw Draco get up from the table out of her peripherals and felt the warmth of his body close to hers. She looked over as he knelt down on his knees and took her hands in his.

"I know there are days where you don't trust me. I've told you a million times and I will continue telling you a million more that I will do whatever I have to to make it up to you. I know it will take time Hermione. But I'm telling you this is the biggest step in the right direction, for all of us." He paused, looking deep in thought for a moment before looking back up at her.

"If you are really worried about the Skeeter woman I may have an idea of how we can avoid that."

"How?" Hermione asked him. Draco just smiled at her and leaned forward placing a small kiss on her forehead.

"Let's head back to the house and make sure everything is ready to go. I'll worry about the rest. Just trust me." He said softly.

Her eyes searched his for a moment before she nodded slowly in agreement. Merlin what was she getting herself into?

* * *

Hermione looked around the flat while Clara was running through all the different rooms trying to figure out which one she wanted. The flat that Draco had bought them was huge, it was like the size of the house she had grown up in. They had been able to floo in directly, so as to avoid any public, as soon as Draco had bought the place and had the network set up. It had five bedrooms and four bathrooms, a large kitchen and a separate room with a large dining table. There was also a room for an office and a den with a fireplace. She had asked him if a place that big was really necessary but he had just nodded at her and smirked saying that one day he would move in with them and he planned on making more babies. Clara chose this moment to pop her head out of one of the bedrooms before Hermione had a chance to respond to that statement.

"This one is my room! And if I'm getting any brothers and sisters I want them now! We **HAVE** to be able to go to school together! I'm going to be in Gryffindor like Mom! Maybe I'll get a brother who gets sorted into Slytherin like you Dad! Then we can be rivals! But not real rivals of course, I just want to beat him at Quidditch!" She laughed, jumping into Draco's arms.

"And why wouldn't **YOU** want to be in Slytherin like me?!" Draco asked her, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Clara shook her head vigorously at him and threw her hands around his neck.

"Green just isn't my color Dad." She exclaimed. Draco gave Hermione an incredulous look to which she laughed and shook her head.

"She get's that from you." She said, holding her hands up in defense.

"When are we going to see Mommy's friends?" Clara asked. Draco looked over to Hermione, who looked scared but nodded at him that she was ready.

"We can head over there right now." He said, putting Clara down. He took her hand in his and reached the other out towards Hermione. She slowly walked forward and placed her hand in his.

 _It's now or never._ She thought to herself. She wanted to vomit as they floo'd away to The Burrow.

* * *

She hesitantly stepped out of the fireplace, brushing herself off. She slowly looked up and around, expecting to be bombarded with questions from a hundred people. Only there was no one there. She looked at Draco questioningly.

"Everyone is outside, Harry and Ron are waiting for you in the kitchen. Clara and I will be outside waiting for you when you're ready." He smiled warmly at her.

"I don't want Clara going anywhere without me." She said, pulling Clara closer to her. The little girl wrapped her arms around her legs.

"It will be ok Mom. Dad won't let anything happen to me. Besides, if anyone tries to say anything I'll just remind them that I have the smartest Mother that ever was and tell them that she's going to the Headmistress of Hogwarts one day and if they want to make it through school or want their kids to make it through school they better not mess with me." She said, walking over to Draco's side. It was Hermione's turn to give Draco the incredulous look. He laughed and shrugged picking Clara up.

"She gets _that_ from me." He said proudly. He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "It will all be ok." He whispered. She nodded and watched as he disappeared out the door.

She slowly moved towards the kitchen, each step feeling like her feet were made of lead. The closer she got she could make out the voices of the two boys. She quietly stepped into the doorway of the kitchen and took a deep breath.

"Hermione!" Both boys exclaimed at once. She found herself wrapped up in both sets of arms hugging her tightly. A wave of emotion overcame her and tears came rushing to her eyes as she hugged them both back.

"Harry. Ron. I'm so so sorry." She said, pulling back from them and wiping her eyes. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

"We're sure you had your reasons. All that matters is your back now, and you're safe." He said.

"But you _do_ have a lot of explaining to do. Did you really have a kid with Zabini?" Ron asked. Hermione laughed as Harry punched him in the arm.

"What?!" He directed towards Harry.

"I can see nothing has changed here." Hermione laughed. Ron grinned and Harry smiled warmly at her.

"We do have a lot to catch up on." She said softly.

"How about I make some tea? We have all afternoon, you can start from the beginning if you'd like." Harry prompted, going to put water in the kettle on the stove. Hermione sat at the table and fiddled with her hands nervously until Ron put his giant hands over hers to calm her.

"The beginning is always the best place to start for a story." He grinned at her.

She smiled back at him. She missed this so much, she just didn't really know it until this moment. She wasn't even surprised at how warm and welcoming the boys were being. If she had been in their place and one of them in hers she knew she would have acted the same as they were.

Giving her the chance to explain everything was the best outcome she could have ever hoped for. So with a deep breath she started at the beginning, all the way back to her first encounter on the train with Blaise.

* * *

A few hours later found the trio laughing like all the years had never even passed between them. The boys had filled her in on their lives and she had filled them in on hers…well mostly anyways, she had left out Clara so far. As the laughter died down a serious look settled on Harry's face.

"So the million dollar question still stands. Is there a child involved?" He asked. Hermione looked down at the table and smiled a little smile.

"Yes. Draco and I have a daughter. Her name is Clara and she's absolutely amazing. Blaise helped me raise her. Draco never knew about her until he found us in Ravello." She answered.

"So that's why Draco didn't keep us in the loop about anything? Because he found out it was his kid and not Blaise's?" Harry asked.

"I asked him not to say anything about her. I'm worried how everyone will handle the news. I just want her to be protected, I don't want her to be an outcast because she's the daughter of a Death Eater." Hermione said worriedly. Harry and Ron shared a knowing look.

"Hermione…Malf-Draco has done a lot of changing the past few years. He's made a lot of financial contributions and done a lot to change the way the public sees his family and his name. I don't think anyone is going to give you any problems. Besides he set something up for you later today to help the public with you coming back." Ron said. Hermione eyed the boys suspiciously.

"You know what he has planned?" She asked them. They both smiled and nodded.

"But first I think I wanna meet my Niece." Harry said, getting up from the table. Hermione nodded and followed the boys out the door and to the backyard.

She was relieved to see that gathered around a giant table covered in food, were only members of the Weasley and Potter families.

"We didn't want you to be overwhelmed." Harry whispered in her ear.

She smiled at him gratefully. She watched as everyone turned to look at them. Draco rose from his seat next to Arthur. All of the kids had been running around playing together. Clara had stayed close to Draco watching the other kids curiously. Once she saw Hermione she got up and ran over to her. Hermione bent down to receive her daughter but was shocked to see Clara launch herself at Ron and wrap her arms around his legs.

"You must be my Uncle Ron! Daddy said you're going to be my favorite!" She exclaimed.

Ron and Hermione both looked at Draco and he just shrugged and laughed.

"He also said that I could call you Uncle Won Won! That's what Aunt Lavender used to call you in school! He said it's your favorite nickname."

Everyone laughed as Ron grew red in the face. He knelt down and put his arms around the little girl.

"Well I have a school story about your Dad for you Clara. Has he ever told you about the time he got turned into a ferret?" Ron smirked at Draco. Draco just rolled his eyes.

"I knew that was coming." He mumbled.

He went to extend a hand to Hermione and lead her over to the table. Ginny came rushing over and wrapped Hermione in a huge hug.

"Merlin Hermione! I'm so glad you're back. I've missed you so much!" Hermione hugged her back and smiled.

"I missed you too Gin. I'm sorry about the way I left, and for not keeping in touch." She replied. Ginny shook her head at her.

"Nonsense it's all ok. Draco has explained what he could. You guys have a lovely daughter." Ginny said.

Hermione smiled and looked over to where Clara was talking animatedly with Ron. He looked positively smitten with her.

Hermione sat next to Draco and spent another couple of hours catching up with everyone. Draco was supportive the whole time. At some point in the late afternoon his arm found its way across the back of her chair and his hand was playing with a stray curl. This didn't go unnoticed as everyone exchanged knowing glances and smiles.

"Draco when will your Mother arrive?" Molly asked him.

He straightened up a little and looked at Hermione who was looking at him wide eyed. He leaned in towards her and lowered his voice.

"She's bringing the surprise." He stated, his voice laced with worry.

Hermione wanted to know what this damn surprise was already. Today had gone better than she had possibly imagined but she wasn't sure if she was ready to face his Mother after all these years. Her breathing quickened and she looked around for Clara. Once she saw that she was now playing with all the other kids she calmed down a tiny bit, but it still felt like her heart was pounding in her chest. Draco was looking at her worriedly as was everyone else at the table. She started to feel faint, she needed….

"Now, now Hermione. You didn't come all this way to bow out now." A familiar voice in her ear snapped her out of her state. She looked up and found exactly who she needed in that moment.

"Uncle Blaise! You came! Did you bring Carmella too?!" Clara cried out from across the yard, running over to jump in his arms.

"Ci la mia nipotina, I did. She's settling all of her things into the flat. We will see her later when we get home." Blaise answered. Hermione rose and hugged him letting out the breath she had been holding.

"You guys are moving into the flat?" She asked him. He nodded in response.

"After you guys left I was talking to Carmella and Isabelle and realized that I couldn't let you guys come home and have all the fun. So I asked her to move in with me…and you guys in London. She is very excited to be here. Isabelle is a little sad we've all left her but I told her we're only a floo away. Maybe we can even get her to open up a place here." Blaise said.

"Yes! Meatballs every day!" Clara threw her arms up.

Hermione turned to smile at Draco and realized he was no longer sitting beside her at the table. Her eyes scanned the yard as everyone welcomed Blaise. He had spent the last six years with Hermione and they welcomed him with open arms as a friend, to which Hermione was grateful for. Her eyes landed on Draco coming back out of the house with two people following him. She squinted her eyes and noticed it was his Mother followed by another person Hermione hadn't seen for years…Padma Patil.

* * *

 **Our Heroine Returns**

 **A modern day Romeo and Juliet story**

 **By: Padma Patil**

 **After almost seven long years Hermione Granger has returned! The Gryffindor Princess sat down for an exclusive interview to answer the number one question "why did she leave?" After spending most of her time away in Italy, Miss Granger explains that her Romeo finally found her and convinced her to come home, where her friends were waiting with open arms.**

 **Just who is this Romeo you ask? None other than the Slytherin Prince himself, reformed Death Eater Draco Malfoy. Theirs is a romance that blossomed during our sixth year at Hogwarts, both seeking solace from the upcoming war. Finding it in each other, they kept it a secret from their friends in order to ensure their safety. First a small spark of fire between the two former enemies, then a full blown love that bloomed over secret encounters and hopes and dreams of a future together.**

 **At the end of the year, as most of us recall, the war begun and Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy found themselves ripped apart by their respective sides. Not long after, Miss Granger found that she was carrying the heir to the Malfoy line. Fleeing for the safety of her child, she gained the help of friend and fellow Slytherin to Mr. Malfoy, Blaise Zabini.**

 **Managing to escape being found by Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Draco Malfoy, the pair used glamour to hide whenever investigators came too close to their trail. Finally Mr. Malfoy was able to track them down to a city on the coast in Italy. He has been in their presence over the last seven months, bonding with his daughter Clara, and rekindling the love he never stopped feeling for Miss Granger.**

 **Facing the public with the news of a child with Mr. Malfoy is what kept Miss Granger away for so long. It is a tragedy that our beloved war heroine felt the need to stay away in fear of being ostracized for having the child of a former Death Eater. Mr. Malfoy and his Mother Narcissa have been nothing but helpful in the rebuilding of Hogwarts and have made generous contributions to numerous foundations and charities over the last six years. An act that Mr. Malfoy says will continue on as long as the Malfoy line is around.**

 **Story continued on page 6**

Hermione laughed as she set down the paper on the dining room table. The article had been accompanied by a picture of the three of them, Clara being held by Draco with one arm while the other was wrapped around her waist and she had a hand placed on his chest. The idea, he had said, was for them to tell their own story to the public before Rita Skeeter had the chance to spin her own.

It had been two weeks since she had been reunited with her friends at The Burrow. When Hermione had seen Padma following Narcissa into the yard her mind was swimming with questions as to what she had to do with Draco's surprise. She soon had found out however, that Padma now worked for The Daily Prophet.

Padma had been very happy to help the couple. Hermione and her had been friends in school and she was now in a relationship with Seamus Finnegan, who was still good friends with both Harry and Ron and had even developed a friendship with Draco over the years. Hermione was grateful to her.

"She really livened it up didn't she?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her tea. Draco, who was sitting opposite her with his own tea, picked up the paper and smiled at the picture.

"That's her job love and I must say it worked out brilliantly. The public absolutely loves a good love story. They can't wait for us to take Clara out in public." Draco said.

"That's what I'm afraid of Draco. She's just a child. It's a lot for her to have to deal with." Hermione argued.

"Have you met our daughter Hermione? I think she will be just fine, the public adores her. She will love it." Draco argued back, setting down the paper. Hermione scowled at him before taking another drink of her tea.

"I've been thinking. You know it seems silly for you to be staying at the Manor considering we were living under the same roof in Ravello." She brought up, looking at him over her tea.

"Mother has enjoyed having some company. I think she was lonely while I was gone. She spent a lot of time at the Weasley's." He said, making a face. "There's something I never thought I would hear myself say."

Hermione laughed. She picked up her empty tea cup and saucer and took it into the kitchen placing in gingerly into the sink. Narcissa had picked out the most beautiful china for the flat but Merlin if it wasn't the kind of expensive that was extremely fragile. When she turned back towards the table she caught Draco's eyes noticing that he was watching her.

"What?" She asked him.

"You're beautiful." He said simply, earning a blush from her.

"We're you suggesting I move in?" He asked her.

"Well you do own the place. And there are more than enough bedrooms for everyone." She said softly.

Blaise and Carmella had no intentions of getting their own place anytime soon. They were going to travel between Italy and London and Blaise had every intention of getting Isabelle to open up a place in Hogsmeade. Between them, her, and Clara there were still two bedrooms left. One was a guest room for when Isabelle visited.

"Are you really going to make me stay in another room again?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know Draco. We can talk about it." She answered.

Draco stood from the table and walked slowly over to her. She backed up into the counter as he advanced until he was standing right in front of her. He placed a hand on her hip and brought the other up to cup her cheek. Her breath caught in her throat.

"How long are you going to make me pay for my mistakes Hermione? Some days your loving and we actually feel like a family, some days your cold and aloof, sometimes you come to me in the middle of the night just like in the Room of Requirement all those years ago. What do you want? Do you feel like I've forced myself into your life? Would you rather me not be around as much? Spend time with just Clara and not with you?"

"Draco you're being stupid. I just asked you to move in here." Hermione interrupted him.

"You want to coexist under one roof for Clara. I want to be a family Hermione. I want Blaise and Carmella to find their own place eventually. I want to give Clara siblings, I want to marry you one day. Bust most of all I want _you_ to _want_ to have a life with me Hermione. If you don't want the same thing then tell me now." Draco said.

His thumb was stroking her cheek and tears were pricking at her eyes. She didn't know why she was so afraid but she knew she didn't want a life without Draco in it.

"I just need time. You told me you would give me that Draco." She whispered. He wiped the tears away with his thumbs and lowered his face so that his lips were hovering above hers.

"I will give you time, I just want to know that you do want the same things as I do, eventually." He whispered. She nodded softly and he placed a small chaste kiss on her lips before pulling away.

"I think I'll just stay in the Manor for now. Mother doesn't need to be there all by herself, and speaking of Mother she's already at The Burrow and I suggest we get a move on it. I'm sure poor Molly has her hands full with all the grandchildren. What a nightmare last night must have been."

Hermione cracked a smile at that and wiped the rest of her tears away as she moved to the fireplace where Draco stood waiting for her. Clara had been to her first sleepover the night before with all her "cousins". Poor Molly indeed.

* * *

Hermione watched as Clara ran around with Rose, Hugo and Albus. She felt a ping of sadness that she hadn't been around to watch Harry and Ron's kids grow up. At least she could watch them all grow up together now. She imagined what it would be like to have a few more of her's and Draco's children to run around with the younger kids, the thought brought a smile to her face.

She looked back into the house at Draco sitting around the table with Harry and Ron. They were laughing and having a great time. She watched Narcissa, who looked so oddly in place in the Weasley household, a smile gracing her features as she spoke with Arthur and Molly. Blaise and Carmella were at the end of the table talking with Ginny and Lavender. She laughed to herself, Blaise was always such a ladies man.

She walked over to the table and took her seat beside Draco, noticing as he put his arm over the back of her chair and started playing with her hair. She leaned into his embrace slightly and observed the scene around her. Weasley's, Potter's, Malfoy's, Zabini and Granger all under one roof getting along. It was like something out of a dream.

She smiled as she realized Draco had been paying for his mistakes for years. For him to be accepted into the hearts of the ones she grew up loving the most, he must have paid a dear price. Spending years rebuilding the name that had been built for generations in an image of hatred and fear. The humility she imagined he endured, the hardships he must have gone through, all while never giving up on finding her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Draco whispered in her ear. She turned to look at him with a genuine smile and reached over putting a hand on his knee. She gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance and turned to join in the conversation around her.

Draco had been taking chances ever since the end of the war. Taking chances on his future, on them, on her. It was time for her to take a chance on him. Clara came running into the room, the other kids trailing behind her. She climbed up onto Draco's lap and started telling him about the Pygmy Puffs that Ron and Lavender had just bought for their kids. Of course she wanted one and of course Draco was telling her he would buy her the whole lot that the twins had at their shop. Hermione laughed as she watched Clara's eyes light up.

What a beautiful and wonderful chance it would be.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Whew! Well that is that. One more chapter to go, the next one will fast forward ten years. Not a lot of Clara action in this chapter (I'm sorry trinka belle) but I promise the next chapter will have more. I've even promised trinka belle a one-shot with Clara as the main character for those of you who love her so much. Please review and let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Wow I can't believe this is the last chapter! It has been a wonderful six months. More words at the very end.

Thank you to , LizzyTheCat2000, ravenlenora, sed418, Jmcy, dibsonyourgear, enchanted16, atikahhsanusi, loves2readalways, Lady Roaddog, sleeplygirl, Kitkatpitts, Nathallya Black, NicoleKHale91, TJ Carlson, and Redstone767 for following the story.

Thank you to , Nacf, sed418, Jmcy, dibsonyourgear, enchanted16, atikahhsanusi, Lady Roaddog, xastrangedejavux, LiterallyHooked, NicoleKHale91, TJ Carlson, and Redstone767 for adding the story to your favorites.

Thank you to DRAMIONE101, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Chantal9, JuliSt, trinka belle, moongoddessgirl1, Grovek26, and sleeplygirl for reviewing the last chapter.

Last but not least thank you to Anzera Fitzroy, TJ Carlson, dibsonyourgear, Jmcy, and hockey1 for adding me to your favorite author list or adding me to your author alert list.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing

* * *

 **10 years later**

"Clara! Where did you hide your brother's broom?! You know he needs it to play this year!" Draco yelled across the house.

"What makes you think I hid it?! The little twerp probably just lost it again, like he loses everything."

"Hey I do not lose everything! You took it! You're afraid of losing to a first year!" Scorpius yelled at his sister, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Why would I be afraid of losing to you? They probably won't even let you on the team, first years never make it on the team." Clara goaded.

"Maybe in Slytherin they don't but Uncle Harry made it his first year and he was in Gryffindor and that's where I'm going to be sorted! So there! Besides you know if you don't tell Dad where you hid it he'll just buy me a new one."

"You know your brother is right Clara. Just show him where you hid his broom." A very pregnant Hermione scolded as she came up behind the kids, who had been sitting at the dining table.

"But Mom! I didn't hide his broom!" Clara argued.

Hermione put her hands to her temples and rubbed them while counting to ten in her head. Draco walked into the dining room and placed his hands on the table while looking down at his two children, a firm look on his face.

"Clara, if I have to buy your brother a new broom it's coming out of your allowance." He said to her.

Clara sat back in her chair with a pouty look on her face. She huffed and crossed her arms as the alarm for the floo went off and Harry and his son Albus came through. As soon as Clara saw Albus she brightened up and got up to go to him. He smiled as she grabbed his hand and kissed his cheek.

"Hi." She said softly.

"Hi." He said, giving her a goofy grin.

"Hey. None of that in my dining room. Harry tell your son to keep his hands to himself." Draco scowled at the kids.

"Dad!" Clara cried.

Hermione and Harry just laughed as Clara pulled Albus out of the room. Hermione then realized that Harry was carrying a broom.

"Is that Scorpius' broom?" She asked.

"Yea he left it at the house when he was playing with Hugo and James." Harry replied, holding out the broom for Scorpius.

"Yes! Thank you Uncle Harry!" Scorpius cried, grabbing his broom and heading off towards his room.

"Scorpius! You owe your sister an apology!" Hermione yelled out after him.

"She's too busy sucking face with Albus!" They all heard before the door to his room slammed shut.

Hermione laughed at how red both Draco and Harry's faces turned and Draco's knuckled turned white where he was gripping the table too hard.

"Now now boys. We were all doing worse at their age." Hermione said.

"That's what we're afraid of." The men said in unison.

Hermione laughed at them then doubled over clutching her stomach with one hand and the table with the other. She started taking deep breaths as the guys rushed over to her side.

"Just breathe love." Draco said, rubbing her back.

"Are you ok? Ginny is experiencing the same thing. I swear you guys are going to give birth at the same time." Harry said.

"I think that would be wonderful if we did. It's going to be soon I just know it, little man doesn't wanna be in there anymore." Hermione said, her breathing slowly turning normal again.

"Ginny says the same thing about our little Lily." Harry laughed.

"Merlin are all of our kids going to grow up and get hitched?" Draco drawled.

Harry and Hermione laughed. Rose and James had crushes on each other but they were far too young to act on them being in their second year at Hogwarts, both had been sorted into Gryffindor. Hugo was starting his first year with Scorpius and everyone had a feeling they were both going to be sorted into Gryffindor as well. Clara and Albus had been taken with each other from the moment they met and had both been sorted into Slytherin.

They had gotten along brilliantly and had become very close, then in their fourth year they had started dating. Draco nearly had a heart attack when Clara had sent the letter home telling them that she had finally asked out the boy, and that they had planned on spending their next Hogsmeade trip together as an official couple. Hermione and Ginny had to trick the guys into getting something from one of Draco and Hermione's storage closets, then they had promptly locked them inside so that they couldn't go to Hogsmeade to spy on their children.

"We better get a move on it if we're going to make the train. Is Ginny just going to meet us there?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Yea she went over to Ron and Lavender's with James so there all going to meet us there." He answered.

"Clara! Albus! Scorpius! Let's go guys! You don't want to miss the train!" Draco yelled out to the kids. They heard the doors to their children's rooms open and all three ran over to the fireplace.

"Scorpius what do you say to your sister?" Hermione said, earning her an eye roll from her son.

"I'm sorry Clara for accusing you of stealing my broom." Scorpius drawled.

''It's ok I forgive you. For what it's worth any house will be lucky to have you on their team." Clara said, reaching out and ruffling his curly white blonde hair.

"Thanks sis." He smiled at her.

Hermione smiled as she watched the scene before her. Even though her kids got into quarrels all the time she knew they loved each other. She knew she could rely on Clara to watch over her younger brother and keep him out of trouble. Although Scorpius was extremely certain he was going to get sorted into Gryffindor, herself being a Gryffindor knew just how much trouble he could still get into.

It had taken both her and Draco by surprise when Clara had written home in her first year after the sorting ceremony and told them that her and Albus had been sorted into Slytherin. She had been so sure she was going to be in Gryffindor and the hat always took what you wanted into consideration. But in the end the hat decided that Slytherin was the house for her.

Both her parents had told her that Slytherin was just another house and no longer had the reputation for molding wicked wizards and witches, but brilliant and successful ones. Once Albus had been sorted into Slytherin as well, it had been a little easier for both of them to accept.

"Ready?" Draco asked her. Everyone else had already gone through. She nodded at him and stepped into the fireplace, disappearing into the green flames.

* * *

Hermione waved to Blaise and Carmella as they stepped onto platform 9 3/4. Blaise laughed as Hugo and Scorpius slowed their walking when they saw his twin daughters.

"Hello boys! We made Isabella and Alessia wait for you so you could all share a compartment! Isn't that nice?" He asked them.

Both of the boys looked at each and their faces grew red. The girls just giggled and grabbed each other's hands, both reaching forward to grab one of the boys.

"Come on guys! We wanna get one that isn't crowded!" They said in unison.

"If your face gets any more red you're going to turn into a tomato Scorp!" Clara laughed, coming up behind all the parents.

"Clara!" He groaned very aware that Isabella was still latched onto him, he tried shaking her arm off of his but she just grinned at him.

Hermione tugged him to her, effectively breaking the hold the girl had on him, and knelt down to wrap him in a hug.

"Now you boys be good. Try not to get into any trouble. Owl your Father and I as soon as you get sorted! I'm going to write you every week. Remember your sister is there to help you if you need it." She instructed.

"Clara isn't going to help me. She couldn't care less if I get into trouble." Scorpius said softly, looking down at the ground.

"That's not true at all Scorpius. Your sister loves you very much, you know that." Draco said as he knelt down to catch his son's eye.

"We're you scared on your first day?" Scorpius asked, looking at his Dad hopefully.

"I'll be honest son, I wasn't scared at all my first day, but your Mother was." Draco said.

"He's right my love I was. It's ok to be scared, but you have Hugo and Isabella and Alessia to go through it all with, and your Father is right Clara loves you very much and if you ever need her you know she will be there for you." Hermione said.

"I know. I know." Scorpius nodded. Just then Clara came out from the crowd of parents and students and put her hands on Scorpius' shoulders.

"Alright little brother it's time to go." She said. She moved to give Carmella and Ginny a hug, then after hugging Harry she turned to Blaise.

"Promise you'll come watch every match?" She asked him. He grinned at her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"You know I never miss them." He whispered in her ear. She smiled warmly at him then turned to her parents.

"Alright I love you guys. As soon as that little monster decides to make his appearance I'm expecting an owl right away. Headmistress McGonagall already said that we could be excused for a few days when he comes." She said, hugging both Hermione and Draco at the same time.

She stepped back and let them give Scorpius one final hug before gently pushing him back towards Isabella, who promptly latched back onto him and skipped off towards Alessia and Hugo.

Draco put his arm around Hermione who in turn laid her head on his shoulder. As they stood there with Harry, Ginny, Ron, Lavender, Carmella and Blaise, they watched as all the kids gathered together into one compartment and started waving out the window towards them.

"It is kind of strange isn't it?" Harry asked no one in particular.

"What is?" Blaise asked.

"All of our kids really did partner up didn't they? Strange how it worked out that for every boy there's a girl in a different family. No one will give a second thought to a Malfoy and Zabini pairing up, but for a Malfoy and a Potter to pair up? Would have never guessed it is all." Harry responded.

"Notice how we were able to keep the Malfoy's and Weasley's from joining lines?" Ron snickered, earning a smack from Lavender in the shoulder.

"I couldn't be happier about it. Looks like you're going to get the red haired grandchildren Blaise." Draco doubled over laughing, earning him a smack on the head from Hermione.

"Of course I'm the one that would get cursed with two girls who happened to set their eyes on your guys' two troublemakers. Blaise said, rubbing his temples.

"Am I the only one who thinks they're too young to pair up? Surely they will meet other girls and boys at school?" Carmella asked. Everyone grew quiet and looked at her like she had grown another head.

"No. I will not even begin to think about our girls meeting any other boys that strike their fancy. I'm already able to keep a close eye on Scorpius and Hugo, I'll not have them chasing boys I _can't_ keep an eye on." Blaise shook his head.

"Well didn't you all despise each other your first year? Hermione's even told me it took a while before Harry, Ron and her liked each other." Carmella shrugged.

"They spend far too much time together to despise each other. If they don't end up together it won't be the end of the world, but I have a feeling if anyone will be getting their hearts broken it will be your girls. Hugo doesn't even think of girls like that yet." Lavender said. Blaise and Draco laughed at the same time.

"Trust me Lavender, Scorpius and Hugo both like the twins, I think the boys are just waiting for the other one to admit out loud that they like them so they don't feel stupid." Draco said.

"He does have a point." Ron said.

"Lily and nameless Malfoy haven't even been born yet. Let's not rush them into an arranged marriage or anything." Ginny said.

"Nameless Malfoy?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She grinned at him and winked at Hermione.

"Hold up what was that? Did anyone else just witness that or am I crazy?" Draco asked, looking around at everyone. All the women laughed and their husbands all looked at them in suspicion.

"What don't we know?" Blaise asked.

"All the girls know what little man's name will be. I'm just keeping it a secret from Draco." Hermione said with a huge grin on her face.

"Wait a minute what?! You got to name our daughter and I named our son so I think we should be agreeing on this one." Draco argued.

"No I named our daughter after a conversation we had where you told me that's what you would name your daughter if you ever had one. So technically you got to name both our children and now it's my turn to name one." Hermione said.

"How could you not even tell me?" Blaise asked her. She grinned at him in response and just moved off towards the exit without answering him.

"Hermione!" All the boys yelled after her. All the women just laughed.

* * *

Inside the compartment on the train, Scorpius was using the broom kit Draco had just bought him to polish his broom while Hugo was raiding the sweets trolley with Isabella and Alessia. Rose and James had moved to a different compartment with their friends and Clara and Albus had done the same.

"So which house do you guys think you're going to be sorted into?" Hugo asked the twins.

"Slytherin like our Father of course." Alessia answered him, opening a chocolate frog. It tried jumping away from her but Isabella caught it midair and handed it back to her.

"You know you have some pretty good reflexes. You should try out for Quidditch for whatever house you get sorted into." Scorpius said, not taking his eyes off of his broom.

"I planned on trying out. Clara said she would help me before tryouts for the Slytherin team." Isabella said softly, blushing as she watched him.

"You don't know that you are going to get placed in Slytherin. It's all up to the hat in the end." Hugo said, mouth full of licorice wand. Both the girls glared at him.

"For generations Zabini's have always been sorted into Slytherin. We're not about to let that change with us." Isabella said, too busy glaring at Hugo to notice that Scorpius had looked up at her with a sad expression on his face. Hugo held up his hands in defense.

"Alright! Alright! Merlin you two have tempers." He said. The twins grinned at each other as Scorpius got up from his seat and put everything back in his broom kit.

"Where are you off to?" Alessia asked him.

"I'm…gonna go change into robes." He answered hesitantly, leaving the compartment before anyone had a chance to say another word.

It didn't take him long to find Clara's compartment. She was laughing at something a girl in her house had said, while Albus was helping her polish her broom with the same kit Draco had gotten for him. Scorpius hesitantly knocked on the door of the compartment and his face flushed when all eyes turned on him.

"Hey Scorp what's going on?" Clara asked him.

"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to see what you were doing." He said, looking down at the floor. Clara instantly knew something was wrong so she excused herself from her friends and grabbed his hand leading him to an empty compartment.

"Alright bro what's wrong?" She asked him. Scorpius looked out the window and looked thoughtful before he answered her.

"Did you want to be sorted into Slytherin?" He asked.

"No, actually. I wanted to be in Gryffindor like Mom was. I even thought it when the sorting hat was on my head because Uncle Harry said that it takes what you want into account. But the hat whispered to me that even though I wanted to be in Gryffindor, I would do great things in Slytherin. In that moment all I could think of was that I just wanted to make Mom and Dad proud. So it sorted me into Slytherin." Clara answered, playing with her necklace.

"You have done great things in Slytherin though. You're the first Seeker in Hogwarts history to be a female. You've helped win Slytherin the house cup every year you've been in school! You're part of the Slug club. You have the highest grades in your year." Scorpius listed off all of his sisters accomplishments. Clara giggled at him.

"Yea I have, so in the end the hat was right to put me in Slytherin…why do you ask? What's going on?" She looked at him curiously.

"I don't know….I just…I feel like I'm not meant to be a Slytherin." He mumbled. Clara leaned forward in her seat and placed her hands over her brothers.

"It's ok if you get sorted into another house. You know that right? Mom and Dad will be happy with whatever house you get into." She said. Scorpius looked at her with a incredulous look on his face.

"Dad will not be ok with me getting sorted into Hufflepuff! Maybe Ravenclaw but he will flip if I get sorted into Hufflepuff." It was Clara's turn to give him the incredulous look.

"Do you really think that's going to happen? Look we all know it will either be Gryffindor or Slytherin. Either house will make Mom and Dad happy." She said.

"What if I get sorted into Gryffindor? Do you really think Dad will be happy about that? I'll be the first Malfoy to get sorted into another house…ever!"

"See? You would already be making history by being sorted into Gryffindor." Clara smiled at him.

"This isn't funny Clara! I don't want to let Dad down!" Scorpius yelled at her. Clara sat back with a shocked look on her face.

"Is that what this is about Scorpius? You think if you don't get sorted into Slytherin you're going to let down Dad?"

"Maybe…yes." He sniffed. Clara moved from her seat to sit beside him and pulled him into a hug.

"Trust me Dad will be just as proud of you for making it into Gryffindor as he will be if you make it into Slytherin. Mom was in Gryffindor and if she hadn't been placed there she would have never made friends with Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron. If she had never made friends with them Dad wouldn't have teased her so much in school, and if Dad hadn't have teased her so much in school then we wouldn't be here right now." She explained.

"What if Hugo and Alessia and Isabella all get sorted into Slytherin or other houses and I get sorted into Gryffindor?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Trust me, Hugo isn't going to get sorted into any other house other than Gryffindor. If the twins get sorted into Slytherin then they get sorted into Slytherin. I'll make sure to keep all the boys away from Isabella." Clara said with a wink. Scorpius laughed at her and mock punched her in the arm.

"Shut up." He said. Clara just laughed at him and ruffled his hair.

"Trust me everything will be fine, and whatever house you end up in you have your big sister to look out for you no matter what." She said softly, touching her forehead to his.

"Thanks Sis."

* * *

Hermione rushed to the window where a post owl from Hogwarts was tapping away furiously. She opened it and traded the owl a treat for the letter it had. She ripped it open furiously and scanned through the contents before yelling for Draco. He came rushing into the room with Blaise and Carmella right behind him. Hermione had sat down and had tears in her eyes when Draco rushed over to her.

"Hermione what's wrong? What is it?" He asked her worriedly.

"It's from Scorpius." She said, reading back over the letter.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Blaise asked. She shook her head at him and laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Stupid pregnancy hormones." She said. Everyone just looked at her expectantly.

"Well?" Draco prodded her.

"He got sorted into Gryffindor!" She said proudly. Draco clutched his chest and fell over onto the floor.

"I thought something bad had happened woman!" He yelled at her.

"Did he say anything about the girls?" Carmella asked her.

"He said they both were sorted into Slytherin. Hugo was sorted into Gryffindor with him." Hermione read the letter again. Blaise let out a sigh of relief and earned a glare from Draco.

"Can't win them all mate." He joked. Draco's glare didn't falter.

"I think it's time to go honey." Carmella said, pulling him towards the floo. Hermione laughed and waved them goodbye. She then turned to stand over Draco who was still on the floor with his arm over his eyes.

"Draco. We talked about this. You know how much pressure he was under. The hat put him where he thought he would do the best. You can't be upset with him." She said gently.

"I'm not upset with him. I'm actually quite impressed that a Malfoy managed to make it into Gryffindor." He said from under his arm. Hermione smiled and pulled his arm away from his face.

"Are you really?" She asked him. He smiled up at her and nodded, then he pointed to her belly.

"You are going to be a Slytherin you hear me son! Don't get any ideas otherwise!" He shouted to her stomach.

"Draco! You can't act like that around Scorpius you will break his heart." Hermione scolded him. He let his head fall to the side and dramatically flopped his arm back over his face. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and walked out of the room.

"Where are you going?" He yelled after her.

"To tell your Mother the good news, and to tell her that you are acting like a child." She yelled back at him. He twisted himself off the floor quickly and ran after her.

"Hermione Jean Granger Malfoy you had better not tell her any such thing!"

* * *

Scorpius looked around his room at all the red and gold. It had been a few weeks now and he still wasn't used to the idea that he had been sorted into Gryffindor. Clara had explained to him that the school promoted inter house unity a lot more than when their parents had been in school. So he had been able to visit her and the twins in the Slytherin common room and they had been able to come up to the Gryffindor common room.

So far his classes didn't seem that hard. He had been getting good marks from all the teachers just like Clara did, just like his parents had. Sometimes he would catch some of the Professors staring at him and sometimes he would hear them say comments about his parents. He had the trademark Malfoy hair but it was curly like Clara's if it got too long. It was no doubt he was a Malfoy but it seemed a lot of the Professors couldn't get over the fact that Hermione was his Mother.

Professor Slughorn had taken a quick interest in him and had invited him to become a member of the Slug club just like Clara. She had been all too excited when he came to the first dinner. She had made him sit next to her and introduced to him to all her friends. He was happy that they were getting along so well. He had thought for sure that as soon as school had started she would forget all about him.

"Hey Malfoy! Stop your daydreaming and get your broom! We're gonna be late for tryouts!" A boy yelled at him. He could never remember what his name was, something about a bottom, funnily enough the boy was always forgetting things.

He hopped off his bed and grabbed his broom and all his gear, running after the boy. He had been practicing every day for tryouts and he couldn't wait to get out on the pitch with every one else and prove that he had his Dad's skills as a flyer. As he neared the pitch he looked around for Clara and Albus in the stands. She had promised him that she would come to his tryouts and cheer him on, but he couldn't see them anywhere. He shrugged to himself as the Captain of the team started talking about how the tryouts were going to go. He was sure she was there somewhere. She had promised.

* * *

A couple of hours later Scorpius was walking back to the common room dragging his broom behind him. He thought he had done fairly well but they wouldn't know for a couple of hours who had made the team and in what position if they did. He had been hoping Clara would find him afterwards to tell him how she thought he did, but she never showed up. He didn't think she had been there at all.

"Hey Scorpius!" He heard Rose call out to him. He turned and saw her and James running towards them with Hugo trailing behind still in his tryout gear. He had wondered where Hugo had gone off to after the Chaser tryouts had ended.

"Hey guys. Is everything ok?" He asked them noticing the worried looks on their faces.

"Yea we just wanted to catch you after tryouts to tell you the good news!" James said. Hugo smacked him in the arm.

"What good news?" Scorpius asked. They all broke out into big smiles.

"Aunt Hermione is finally having the baby!" Hugo said.

Scorpius dropped his broom and started running towards the Headmistresses office when she rounded the corner and he ended up running into her instead.

"Ah there you are Mr. Malfoy. I was just coming to find you." McGonagall said.

"My Mom is having the baby?!" He yelled up at her. She smiled warmly at him and helped him up.

"Yes she is. Come along now we need to get you all to St. Mungo's. All your parents are there along with Miss Malfoy and Mr. Potter."

Scorpius followed her, taking his broom from Hugo who had picked it up and walked over to them with Rose and James.

"That's probably why Clara wasn't watching at tryouts." Hugo voiced exactly what Scorpius had been thinking at the moment.

"Clara got the news right before you went out onto the pitch. She didn't want you to be distracted so she didn't want us to say anything until you were done." Rose explained.

Scorpius couldn't be mad at his sister for that, it had been very thoughtful of her. He wished Headmistress McGonagall would walk a little faster though because he really couldn't wait to meet his new brother.

* * *

"Alright Hermione that's it, just a few more pushes and you'll be all done I promise. You're doing wonderful." Susan Finch-Fletchley née Bones cooed to her.

"I AM all done that's for sure! Take everything out while you're up there! No more after this! You hear me Draco?!" Hermione growled, crushing Draco's hand. He smirked trying to contain his laugher. He hated that she was in pain, but she was so cute when she scrunched her face like that and yelled at him.

"Ok deal. No more babies after this I promise. You are doing amazing love, were almost there." He gently said.

He hid his face so she didn't see the pain she was causing his hand as she gave one last push. He knew her pain was far worse, but with that final push he heard the cry of their baby boy and he was overwhelmed with pride and joy. Hermione fell back onto the bed and smiled as she watched them clean the baby before bringing him to her and laying him in her arms.

He had tiny blonde wisps of hair and was wailing loudly just as Clara and Scorpius had. She smiled proudly down at the bundle in her arms as Draco put his arm around her and held out a finger for the baby to grab.

"Have you guys decided on a name?" Susan asked.

Draco looked at Hermione, eagerly awaiting her answer. She looked up at him and smiled before looking back at the baby and nodding her head.

"Chance." She said simply.

"Chance?" Susan and Draco echoed. She nodded and gave Susan a smile as the red headed witch winked at her and wrote it down on the paperwork.

"Chance." Draco said again, testing the word out. "It's so….Muggle sounding."

"And Clara isn't a Muggle name? Scorpius is the only one with a true Malfoy name." Hermione giggled.

"I suppose so. Chance. I like it. Chance Blaise Malfoy. I still think it's weird we are giving our son Blaise's name as a middle name."

"Oh hush. Blaise is the whole reason we are here. It makes perfect sense." Hermione argued, giving Draco a glare that made him shut up.

He held his hands up in defense and then moved to take Chance out of her arms as she yawned.

"You get some rest love. As soon as the doctors are done with him I'll bring the kids in." He said, leaning over to kiss her. She nodded in response and laid her head down, watching the nurses coo and fuss over the baby.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the door opened and Clara walked in with Scorpius behind her. Hermione smiled and held her hands out to her children and they ran over and hugged her. Clara sat in the chair next to the bed and Scorpius climbed onto the bed next to her.

"How are you feeling?" Clara asked her.

"I feel fine my love. How did tryouts go?" She asked. Clara grinned and smiled largely at Scorpius.

"Tell her!" She said. Hermione looked at Scorpius with a questioning glance.

"I made the team! I'm the youngest Seeker since Uncle Harry!" He cried out. Hermione laughed and wrapped him in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you!" She said into his hair.

"Thanks Mom! I can't wait to tell Dad, will he be here soon with the baby?" He asked.

"Your Dad is going to bring him in here any second now." She said to them.

As soon as the words left her mouth the door opened again and in walked Draco holding the tiny bundle in his arms. He walked over to them and leaned down so they could see.

"He's beautiful Mom." Clara whispered. She held her arms out and Draco gently laid the baby down and she brought him closer to Scorpius could see.

"What did you name him?" He asked, reaching up to touch the baby's cheek.

Hermione and Draco smiled at each other over their kids and Draco reached for her hand behind Scorpius' back.

"Chance." They said together. Both of the kids smiled looking up at their parents.

"I think that's a perfect name." Clara said. "The most beautiful Chance ever." She cooed to the baby. Scorpius nodded in agreement.

Hermione couldn't have been more happy than she was in that moment. She squeezed Draco's hand and he leaned over and kissed her softly.

What a beautiful Chance he was indeed.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I can't believe I'm finished with this story! It's bittersweet. There will most definitely be a one-shot in the future with Clara. Perhaps one with both her and Scorpius. There may be a number of one-shots based anywhere within the three stories CTS, MSR and TC. Thank you all so much for sticking with me through this amazing adventure. Please review and let me know what you thought of the ending and if you have any requests for one shots during these let me know! If there was a chapter where you would have liked to see more of something or you were interested in something and I didn't go into much detail over it let me know! I think it's going to be a lot of fun writing one shots around this. Again please review!

Cinnamon


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